Psychobiological triggers and psychological vulnerability in bipolar disorder, with a focus on the reward system. Creativity and accomplishment in bipolar disorder. Emotion-related impulsivity: mechanisms and outcomes.

whatshotResearch Description

Basic Research on Mania
People with bipolar disorder describe themselves as more reactive to rewards and goals in their life, and more prone to positive moods, even when they are asymptomatic. More importantly, these basic traits help understand the processes through which mania unfolds. We find that the level of reward sensitivity, as well as recent increases in goal engagement, both predict increases in mania over time among people with bipolar disorder. We have also found that life involving goal attainment predict increases in mania. Currently, we are conducting two studies to understand creative accomplishment in bipolar disorder.

Emotion-related Impulsivity
Considerable research suggests that the tendency to become impulsivity during emotion states is distinct from other forms of impulsivity, and that emotion-related impulsivity robustly predicts a broad range of psychopathologies. We are conducting research to understand the mental health outcomes related to impulsivity, including internalizing disorders, externalizing disorders, aggression, and suicidality. Our aim is to understand mechanisms driving this form of iimpulsivity, by using fMRI, behavioral, and self-report measures. This work is funded by a two-site R01, with an aim of testing 350 outpatients. We are also conducting small treatment development projects to address emotion-related impulsivity among people who are highly aggressive. .

Graduate Student Research
Students on the team are working on a broad array of projects, including how decision-making and reward relate to creativity in bipolar disorder, interpersonal emotion regulation, and executive function as it relates to emotion-related impulsivity. We seek new team members who are interested in tackling puzzles related to bipolar disorder, emotion, or emotion-related impulsivity.